Accepting Hardships and Blame Venerable Master Hsing Yun
We all need to work in order to live, and in the course of doing so, we need to be capable and wise. However, what we need most is to be able to accept hardship and blame. Most people can take hardships, but to be able to take blame as well is both difficult and invaluable. Some are able to work very hard from the crack of dawn until late at night, withstanding cold and hunger and never complaining about it. In order to finish their work, they will take all sorts of hardships and risks, make all kinds of sacrifices, and even neglect nourishment and rest. They will not give their plight a second thought but are only bent on getting their job done with whatever it takes. A homemaker will cook and wash, clean and scrub in her home. When it comes to bringing up her children, she is willing to help and guide them through thick and thin, giving up her lifetime in exchange for the happiness of her family. A loyal subordinate will follow his superior by looking after all sorts of details day and night, overcoming different kinds of obstacles in the course of his duty. A farmer will bear the heat of the hot sun or the battering of the wind and rain in order to cultivate his land. He does not fear suffering and never complains. A good harvest is the only thing that matters to him. However, even while being able to take hardships, many will find it difficult to accept blame which is easy to come by because, regardless of the kind of work one does, it is impossible to please everyone. For instance, after working very hard all day, the boss may still blame his workers for not working overtime at night. Or even though product quality may have already been improved, the boss may still complain about the lack of progress. In an organization, the learned ones may be considered incapable, the capable ones may be said to be inarticulate, then the articulate ones are criticized for not being multilingual, those who can speak a few languages are judged as being too aloof, and those who are warm and amiable are put down as being unattractive. All in all, people may be perfectly willing to put up with hardships, but once the blame begins, nobody is willing to carry on. Therefore, for those who willingly accept hardships and difficulties, words of comfort and kindness are often better than an increase in pay or a promotion. A Buddhist sutra states, "Those who cannot accept slander, criticism, and scolding as the drink of sweet dew are not deemed to be great!" In our life and our work, it is impossible to be entirely blameless. But as long as we have a clear conscience, we do not have to please everyone. So, for those who are only able to accept hardships in their work, it is not enough, because to be able to accept blame as well constitutes real strength. Chan Master Hanshan asked Chan Master Shide, "If someone defiles, bullies, insults, slights, despises, torments, and deceives me, what should I do?" The latter replied, "Just bear with him, let him be, avoid him, tolerate him, respect him, ignore him, and see what happens to him a few years later!" Indeed, this dialogue between the two masters provides us with encouragement. ************************************************************************ DISCOVERING THE DHARMA. By : Master Hsing Yun Some People believe dharma to be profound, Something has to incomprehensible. This is not the case at all. The Dharma is something we all can understand and use. The Dharma is a guiding light which can help us to better evalute the material, Social, and spiritual aspects of life __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Would you Help a Child in need? It is easier than you think. Click Here to meet a Child you can help. http://us.click.yahoo.com/sTR6_D/I_qJAA/i1hLAA/b0VolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> ** MABINDO - Forum Diskusi Masyarakat Buddhis Indonesia ** ** Kunjungi juga website global Mabindo di http://www.mabindo.org ** Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MABINDO/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
